Cornell Notes

To help organize notes.
Divide the paper into three sections.
 • Draw a dark horizontal line about 5 or 6 lines from the bottom. Use a heavy magic marker so that it is clear.
 • Draw a dark vertical line about 2 inches from the left side of the paper from the top to the horizontal  line.
Document
 • Write course name, date and topic at the top of each page
Write Notes
 • The large box to the right is for writing notes.
 • Skip a line between ideas and topics
 • Don't use complete sentences. Use abbreviations, whenever possible. Develop a shorthand of your own, such as using & for the word "and".
Review and clarify
 • Review the notes as soon as possible after class.
 • Pull out main ideas, key points, dates, and people, and write them in the left
   column.
Summarize
 • Write a summary of the main ideas in the bottom section.
Study your notes
 • Reread your notes in the right column.
 •  Spend most of your time studying the ideas in the left column and the summary at the bottom. These are the most important ideas and will probably will be included in information that will be tested.

    



This strategy is based on a strategy presented in Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college (6th ed). Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
Learning Toolbox. Steppingstone Technology Grant, James Madison University,
MSC 1903, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.


Notes can be:

• Used to provide an outline of the course, chapter, or lecture.
• Organized by main ideas and details.
• Can be as detailed as necessary.
• Sequential-- take notes as they are given by instructor or text in an orderly fashion.
• After class, write a summary of what you learned to clarify and reinforce learning and to assist retention.
• Can be used as study tool:
  1. Define terms or explain concepts listed on the left side.
  2. Identify the concept or term based on its definition on the right side.
     
• Can be used to provide a "big picture" of the course, chapter, or lecture.
• Organized by main ideas and sub-topics.
• Limited in how much detail you can represent.
• Simultaneous - you can use this method for instructors who jump around from topic to topic.
• After class, you will probably need to "translate" notes into a Cornell format.
• Can be used as a study tool -- to get a quick overview and to determine whether you need more information or need to concentrate your study on specific topics.